The Trump Administration’s War Against Speech

Let’s get this straight.

I do not think it is acceptable to discuss simple activities, arguments, and criticisms in the terms of war. People, and media organizations, for too long have allowed themselves leeway to turn every single little thing into a travesty, a “war”, an “assault”.

That kind of language is silly, sensationalist, and really doesn’t help anybody.

So when I say that the President’s Administration has declared war on anybody who dares to speak, who can be considered as “the media”, I want you to understand I mean it.

This is an excerpt of a conversation between Chris Wallace and Kellyanne Conway…

Kellyanne Conway’s statement is as follows: I spoke for 35 minutes on three network Sunday shows, You know what got picked? The fact that I said “alternative facts”. Not the fact that I ripped a new one to some of those hosts… not one silly political analyst and pundit who talked smack all day long about Donald Trump has been let go… Who’s the first editorial writer—where’s the first blogger that will be let go, that embarrassed his or her outlets? … The election was three months ago! None of them have been let go. If this were a real business, if the mainstream media were a thriving private-sector business that actually turned a profit… 20 percent of the people would be gone. They embarrassed, they failed to protect their shareholders and their board members and their colleagues. And yet we deal with him every single day. We turn the other cheek. If you’re part of Team Trump, you walk around with these gaping, seeping wounds every single day. And that’s fine. I believe in a full and fair press. I’m here every Sunday morning. I haven’t slept in in months.”

That is the Trump Administration’s view of the world. They honestly believe that the media should kow tow to their world view, that they are always right, and when you challenge them then you should be fired.

“The election was three months ago! None of them have been let go.”

This attitude, that they’re right and the media is wrong, is not going to change. It is not a game.

Anybody, any writer, journalist, blogger, whatever you want to call yourself… anybody who speaks… should stop pretending that these people can be tempered… that they can be dealt with in the same manner as everybody before now. You cannot continue to play those games when somebody has flipped the fucking board. Simply denying that won’t do a damn thing.

You cannot keep acting like you used to, you cannot keep trying to maintain stables of sources, you cannot keep offering conciliatory statements and deference to excuse their behavior.

“Not the fact that I ripped a new one to some of those hosts…”

It’s over.

They truly hate you.

They truly hate everything you do and say.

“Who’s the first editorial writer—where’s the first blogger that will be let go, that embarrassed his or her outlets?”

They are not your friend, they are not the American people’s friend, they have declared war on you and your way of life.

You are at war.

Act like it.

Update 1/30/2017

I may not have been the most eloquent when I wrote this… due to the angers…

But I feel my point is just as valid as ever.

Your relationship with the government is now adversarial… it does not matter that you may have had a non adversarial relationship before now.

You need to accept that.

For as long as you speak the truth to power you are not going to be having some easy ice cream sundae filled life.

Update 1/31/2107

It has been brought to my attention that people can misconstrue my position against specific members of the Trump Administration as some kind of tribalism against conservatives or Republicans… nothing is farther from the truth. When I say you’re at war… you’re at war with Donald Trump and family, lil Stevie Bannon, Kellyanne Conway, and the little people who see fit to play the part of their minions. This is not about political affiliations. This is about the abuse of power.